January Read-Arounds
Were awesome. Thanks so much for all you do.
December 12
To All Staff:
First, your administrative team wants to extend a huge THANK YOU for all of your work. The dedication, focus, and thoughtful analysis were evident yesterday in the Focus groups and also in the work sent to the Wiki. We are all still adding to the informational sections throughout this week. Anyone who cares to help can access the Wiki and add your thoughts.
Then, when most of the thoughts are uploaded where we can all share them, we will move into the next phase of writing during the break. We want to remind everyone that the final document is, ultimately, a group effort; like any group effort, moving from rough draft to semi-final draft form requires that sections be edited to avoid repetition or to add information. Within that process, some paragraphs you worked on may be moved to other parts of the document. Some work may be reworded. Some information may be combined. Be assured that we will be careful to preserve the ideas—the substance—while smoothing out the form for flow of ideas and readability for our Visitation Team.
If you are interested in working on this part of the process during the winter recess, please let me know. Mr. Webb, Mr. Schiller and I are planning to be here Tuesday December 18-Thursday December 20, morning through early afternoon. This will be volunteer work, since there are no funds for stipends, and of course there's no expectation, but we want to let you know the plan and also to invite you to join us, should you wish to do so.
Planning for December 11: 1:30 Prompt: BRIEF MEETING IN THE MAIN THEATER, THEN BREAKOUT TO FOCUS GROUPS Today we will be finalizing our Focus Group work on the Wiki for Sections A-E.
(This is separate from the department work for sections B, C, and D.) Deadline for ALL work was November 30. Groups will have two hours to upload their sections A-E to the Wiki site. WE ARE ALL BUSY; WE KNOW SOME SECTIONS ARE STILL INCOMPLETE. WHERE SECTIONS ARE LEFT BLANK ON THE WIKI, PLEASE LIST THE NAMES OF THE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE SECTION COMPLETED AND THE ESTIMATED DATE OF COMPLETION. NOTE: THIS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. IF ONE GROUP MEMBER HAS TAKEN THE LEAD, OTHER GROUP MEMBERS NEED TO DO THE REST.
YOUR EDITORIAL TEAM PLANS TO BE WORKING THROUGHOUT THEBREAK TO PULL OUR DOCUMENT TOGETHER.
3:30-4:30 ONE HOUR PILOT MEETING IN THE MAIN THEATER
A repeated theme in the WASC conversations has been the lack of shared decision-making. To address this need, the leadership team has been looking at other Pilot schools for structures of governance. Rosie Martinezwill present the most commonly used model. We think it is workable and would like to begin discussion of adopting a governance model, this one or a version of it. Please join us for this important presentation.
ILT November, 2012
Throughout the fall semester, the ILT team has been working on issues related WASC work and the scheduling involved in getting it done. We have discussed such issues as Focus group involvement, finding time (Tuesday PD, 4 late start days), gaining parent support and involvement, and technological issues of Wiki and Google doc accessibility. We have also shared information in areas where Focus Groups did not feel comfortable. FInally, much of the discussion has revolved around the B, C, D section requirements.
ILT October, 2012
Ms. Henderson gave an overview of ongoing WASC work:
Chs1-3 are being compiled by Mr. Webb, Mr. Odegaard, and Ms. Henderson for share-out as soon as they are ready. We expect this will be in time for Monday and will drive that discussion to some extent.
Sections A & E are ongoing and being completed by our PD groups each Monday after school. These Focus groups are those that also include students and parents in producing the final document.
Sections B, C, and D are the joint responsibility of our "Home Groups": departments, leadership, and ILT members.
ILT discussed Category C Items, Instruction Criterion. Please see handout, uploaded into "pages and files" on this Wiki. It was agreed that departments can and will address this section when they have finished the simplified B section.
On our late-start Monday, October 23, teachers will arrive to bagels, juice, fruit, and coffee in the PCR. They will then separate by department "Home Group" to continue B and then start C. The intention of this 2.5 hour block of time is to get something written for section B.
PD tomorrow will center on Advisory, since we have had only one other meeting for Advisory by grade level this year. Groups will meet in separate rooms rather than as a single body.
Discussion of WASC Section B and how to complete it through Home Groups.
Please see handout, uploaded into "pages and files" on this Wiki. ILT decided that some of this section is better answered by the ILT, leadership team, and Dr. Isaac.
Discussion of Team building and need to pull the spokes toward the middle.
Debrief on the faculty-wide town meeting reflects a cautious optimism on the part of faculty and staff and a true appreciation for all that is right with VAPA. THe presentations by Ms. Rosie Martinez on Pilot School autonomies was welcome, frank, and much appreciated.
Core practices and goals that should guide decisions about Professional Development, spending, and our programs at VAPA.
Core Practices
Collaboration-- Teaching and learning must be situated within respectful, productive and inclusive communities that value the participation of all members.
Arts Integration
Thematic Teaching Across Disciplines
Writing Across the Curriculum
Articulated Curriculum
Project Based Learning
Equity and Access to Curriculum through Student Academic Voice Teaching and learning must support active, critical, and democratic problem solving and participation in the context of the global political economy.
Teachers work together in common planning
Teachers use Multiple Sources of Data for student assessment
Instructional Leadership Team Rocks!
February 25 Discussion and Minutes
ILT_Feb25-2013.docxFebruary 11 Discussion and Minutes
ILTFeb11-2013.docx
February 4 ETWA Discussion and Minutes
ETWA Committee Feb 2013.docILTFeb4-2013.pdf
January 7 Minutes:
ILTJan-7-2013.pdfJanuary Read-Arounds
Were awesome. Thanks so much for all you do.
December 12
To All Staff:First, your administrative team wants to extend a huge THANK YOU for all of your work. The dedication, focus, and thoughtful analysis were evident yesterday in the Focus groups and also in the work sent to the Wiki. We are all still adding to the informational sections throughout this week. Anyone who cares to help can access the Wiki and add your thoughts.
Then, when most of the thoughts are uploaded where we can all share them, we will move into the next phase of writing during the break. We want to remind everyone that the final document is, ultimately, a group effort; like any group effort, moving from rough draft to semi-final draft form requires that sections be edited to avoid repetition or to add information. Within that process, some paragraphs you worked on may be moved to other parts of the document. Some work may be reworded. Some information may be combined. Be assured that we will be careful to preserve the ideas—the substance—while smoothing out the form for flow of ideas and readability for our Visitation Team.
If you are interested in working on this part of the process during the winter recess, please let me know. Mr. Webb, Mr. Schiller and I are planning to be here Tuesday December 18-Thursday December 20, morning through early afternoon. This will be volunteer work, since there are no funds for stipends, and of course there's no expectation, but we want to let you know the plan and also to invite you to join us, should you wish to do so.
Planning for December 11:
1:30 Prompt:
BRIEF MEETING IN THE MAIN THEATER, THEN BREAKOUT TO FOCUS GROUPS
Today we will be finalizing our Focus Group work on the Wiki for Sections A-E.
(This is separate from the department work for sections B, C, and D.)
Deadline for ALL work was November 30.
Groups will have two hours to upload their sections A-E to the Wiki site.
WE ARE ALL BUSY; WE KNOW SOME SECTIONS ARE STILL INCOMPLETE. WHERE SECTIONS ARE LEFT BLANK ON THE WIKI, PLEASE LIST THE NAMES OF THE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE SECTION COMPLETED AND THE ESTIMATED DATE OF COMPLETION. NOTE: THIS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. IF ONE GROUP MEMBER HAS TAKEN THE LEAD, OTHER GROUP MEMBERS NEED TO DO THE REST.
YOUR EDITORIAL TEAM PLANS TO BE WORKING THROUGHOUT THEBREAK TO PULL OUR DOCUMENT TOGETHER.
3:30-4:30
ONE HOUR PILOT MEETING IN THE MAIN THEATER
A repeated theme in the WASC conversations has been the lack of shared decision-making. To address this need, the leadership team has been looking at other Pilot schools for structures of governance. Rosie Martinezwill present the most commonly used model. We think it is workable and would like to begin discussion of adopting a governance model, this one or a version of it. Please join us for this important presentation.
ILT November, 2012
Throughout the fall semester, the ILT team has been working on issues related WASC work and the scheduling involved in getting it done. We have discussed such issues as Focus group involvement, finding time (Tuesday PD, 4 late start days), gaining parent support and involvement, and technological issues of Wiki and Google doc accessibility. We have also shared information in areas where Focus Groups did not feel comfortable. FInally, much of the discussion has revolved around the B, C, D section requirements.ILT October, 2012
Ms. Henderson gave an overview of ongoing WASC work:Chs1-3 are being compiled by Mr. Webb, Mr. Odegaard, and Ms. Henderson for share-out as soon as they are ready. We expect this will be in time for Monday and will drive that discussion to some extent.
Sections A & E are ongoing and being completed by our PD groups each Monday after school. These Focus groups are those that also include students and parents in producing the final document.
Sections B, C, and D are the joint responsibility of our "Home Groups": departments, leadership, and ILT members.
ILT discussed Category C Items, Instruction Criterion. Please see handout, uploaded into "pages and files" on this Wiki. It was agreed that departments can and will address this section when they have finished the simplified B section.
On our late-start Monday, October 23, teachers will arrive to bagels, juice, fruit, and coffee in the PCR. They will then separate by department "Home Group" to continue B and then start C. The intention of this 2.5 hour block of time is to get something written for section B.
PD tomorrow will center on Advisory, since we have had only one other meeting for Advisory by grade level this year. Groups will meet in separate rooms rather than as a single body.
==============
ILT September
ILT Minutes 9/20/12ILT9_20.2012.docx
ILT Minutes 9/6/12
ILT9_6.2012.docx
Discussion of WASC Section B and how to complete it through Home Groups.
Please see handout, uploaded into "pages and files" on this Wiki. ILT decided that some of this section is better answered by the ILT, leadership team, and Dr. Isaac.
Discussion of Team building and need to pull the spokes toward the middle.
Debrief on the faculty-wide town meeting reflects a cautious optimism on the part of faculty and staff and a true appreciation for all that is right with VAPA. THe presentations by Ms. Rosie Martinez on Pilot School autonomies was welcome, frank, and much appreciated.
ILT MInutes 8/20/12
ILT8_20.2012.docx====
ILT TENETS
Core practices and goals that should guide decisions about Professional Development, spending, and our programs at VAPA.
Core Practices
Collaboration-- Teaching and learning must be situated within respectful, productive and inclusive communities that value the participation of all members.
Arts Integration
Thematic Teaching Across Disciplines
Writing Across the Curriculum
Articulated Curriculum
Project Based Learning
Equity and Access to Curriculum through Student Academic Voice
Teaching and learning must support active, critical, and democratic problem solving and participation in the context of the global political economy.
Teachers work together in common planning
Teachers use Multiple Sources of Data for student assessment
Best Practices
Student Led Conferences
Goals
Raise Student Performance on CST and SPA
.